


Because Of You, I Might Think Twice

by thatdamnedrogue



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, M/M, Sentinel/Guide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-09-17 08:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16970862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatdamnedrogue/pseuds/thatdamnedrogue
Summary: Sentinel/Guide Kingdom Hearts AU. Sora and Roxas are a Guide and Sentinel set of twins, unaware of just how much they're set apart by being twins with such a Gift. They're going to find out the hard way how lucky they are, while their bond is put to the test- and other bonds are formed.





	1. In Regards to the State of Things

     It was always said that like attracts like- that tended to be how Sentinels and Guides found each other, in the instances in which they did. There were stories, of course, of one or the other never finding a bond, or worse yet, finding a bond that didn’t work out. It was difficult, in a world where such gifted children were born to parents without the same abilities. They struggled, trying to teach their Sentinel teenager (it was always in those teenaged formative years the abilities made themselves known) how to control their suddenly enhanced strength, or smell, or speed. Things like “well try not to show off”, or “be careful of how fast you go” were often said, but parents without the gift (or, perhaps, curse) could only do and understand so much.

      It wasn’t their burden to bear.

      Many parents tried their best, and with Sentinels, it was tough for the sake of the sheer strength possessed. And the Guides? Those were even trickier. How does one teach them to be cautious with their emotions, to try not to influence someone else? How does one explain to their child that they will always be far more aware of the feelings around them than anyone else? It was up to each parent to teach their child from right and wrong… sometimes things didn’t so go that way.

     There was little understanding as to how these gifted folks came about- especially when the parents themselves displayed no such abilities. Hell, there was little understanding about Guides and Sentinels at all. Over the years, there had been research- stories and tests, experiments and rumors- but the results were not as satisfying as any hoped.

      It was learned that Sentinels and Guides… well, they helped each other. Sentinels would experience fits of rage at times, just blind anger, an overwhelming sensation of emotions-- and these moments were only quelled in two ways: violence, or by a Guide. Guides, on the other hand, could become so overwhelmed by the emotions of those around them that they lost themselves to another’s feelings- and were best grounded by their Sentinel. In the case of an unbonded Guide or Sentinel, any of the opposite could help, but the effects were always stronger in a bond. Bonds- thus far- had been figured into three types, though the names and usages were always varied. But a bond between a Sentinel and a Guide was a serious thing, and breaking that bond could sometimes prove to be… devastating. There were incredibly few documented incidents where a bond was broken- a deep bond, one both parties willingly entered and was eventually severed, either by one of the involved parties, or by circumstance.

      The recorded results were… disastrous.

All of this must be known for the following tale to make any sense.

     It began in a lively port city, in a kingdom under the rule of a benevolent King and Queen. They encouraged education and open expression- they encouraged kindness and understanding. They were adored by most, if not all of the general public, their subjects speaking highly of  them.

      In this particular city, under the rule of the King and Queen, many noble families resided- people of money, with titles and clout, with children who learned in expensive schools. In these schools, when Sentinels or Guides were discovered, their curriculum changed- something to cater more towards these Gifted and their abilities, so they could be taught how to handle the changes they were going through and how to prepare for the world outside the school’s walls, where they could easily become overwhelmed, or worse yet- led astray.

       It was one of these schools where the twins of the noble Hart family had grown up, and discovered that one was a Sentinel and the other a Guide. It was in one of the schools the two boys demonstrated a new type of bond- after all, the twins had always been close growing up, even with their own friends aside from one another. The elder twin was bright eyed, an inherent optimist, and when his abilities as a Guide made themselves known, no one was particularly surprised by it. The younger twin didn’t quite match his brother’s optimism (but really, who _could_?) but still displayed the same bright eyed cheer in his own way. He discovered his Sentinel abilities purely by accident playing with his friends in the courtyard, and there was little surprise there either.

        These two boys grew up having each others’ backs, taking the twin bond to another level with their newfound abilities. Sometimes, the boys’ friends would tease- one on either side, it seemed, heckled lightly. The elder’s best friend, aside from his twin, turned out to be a Sentinel as well. He was stronger than the younger twin, who’s skill lay more in his speed than anything else-  but it made for the three of them (both twins and the elder’s friend) to be quite the team, even if there was some dissent between the younger and his twin’s close companion.

        In this lively port city, the twins grew into fine young men. There were rocky roads, of course- the younger twin, Roxas, got himself in a bond at sixteen that did not end well. The Guide in question, remaining unnamed for now, had not been the kindest, perhaps not taught to be careful with his skills… or perhaps he simply wanted to see how much he could push and prod and twist the emotions of the blond.

         It was damage done.

        The elder twin, Sora, fretted for his brother’s state of mind. When Roxas had come home the night of the bond break, Sora had felt it before his brother even set foot on the family property. He had gone out to meet him, and Roxas looked terrible- and felt even worse. Sora, for his part as the elder of them, felt guilt. He thought perhaps he’d fallen short, failed his brother in someway- for all his optimism and cheer, Sora was not immune to the woes of the mind, and as a teenager, those weighed heavier than he knew what to do with.

        Their bond suffered for a while, after Roxas was wounded as he was. But Sora did not allow that to deter him- with reluctant aid from Riku, Sora was determined to help his brother onto the path of recovery.

         It would take three years before Roxas was picking up the pieces, finally letting himself begin to heal.

And that, dear readers, is where our story begins.


	2. In Regards to the Road Home

     Three years. It had taken three years for Roxas to feel any semblance of _okay_ after what he’d gone through- their parents just didn’t understand, but then, how could they? Mom and dad were so vastly different from him and Sora, they didn’t have the same Gift (Roxas thought of it more as a curse for a long while, especially after having been hurt the way he was- it was his own fault, he knew, but that didn’t really make coping any easier).

      But three years down the line, after feeling as though his world had literally fallen apart at his fingertips he was starting to recover. The in-between, the time prior- he knew he was miserable and difficult to be around, but Sora was always there for him. He was a good brother, and Roxas wasn’t sure he received the credit he deserved for being _so_ damn good. Hell, Roxas thought if he had any good luck in life, it was having a brother care for him  the way Sora did. Even when Roxas was at his worst, violent towards himself, pushing away those who cared about him, Sora stayed beside him- not that Sora put up with poor treatment. On the contrary, when Roxas got mean, Sora got stern.

      “You can’t treat people like that. I know you’re hurting, Roxie, I know you are, but you can’t take it out on others-- or yourself,” Sora had told him on more than one occasion, which inevitably led to the elder using his own abilities as a Guide as gently as he could to ease some of his twin’s burden. It had been rough in there- particularly so, given that it was a Guide who left Roxas in such a state. The first six months, any time Sora would attempt to reach out with his Gift to quell his twin, Roxas would recoil violently. It was a long road to get to a point where he wouldn’t refuse help, where he wouldn’t jerk away, but eventually they reached that point. And after three years, he didn’t flinch when he felt Sora trying to help him- it was progress, slow as it was, it was _still_ progress.

      It was because of this progress he felt his twin approaching his room before Sora had even gotten to his door- Roxas was sitting in his bed, doodling absently. Much of his art had been… darker images, but Sora had still brought color to them when Roxas requested it. Blue eyes didn’t even look up when the brunette. entered and crossed the room, dropping onto his twin’s bed.

     “Hey. Riku and me are going down to the shore, you should come with.” It wasn’t a question, and Roxas could feel the emotional prodding, tugging, hopeful that he would join. A decision to be made- he knew Sora wouldn’t guilt him into anything, if he said _no_ , Sora would accept it. But at the same time, he was _trying_ to be better about not hiding himself up in his room. The pencil continued across the page, sketching long, dark figures- things that plagued him in his sleep, memories that couldn’t be shaken, the feeling of eyes on him--

     “Roxas?”

      Had he gotten so lost in his drawing that it showed? Sora was looking at him with those deep blues so full of worry, and Roxas was distinctly aware of sweat on his own forehead. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, nodding to his twin.

      “I--I’ll come with.”

      Brows knit, Sora kept _staring_. Roxas felt a strange panic well up from something he wasn’t sure of, but before the younger could slip into a zone, Sora was beside him, an arm around him, the Guide’s natural ability reaching out to quell his brother’s panic.

      “It’s okay,” soft, a softness that Sora only shared with Roxas- specifically _for_ Roxas. The blond, despite his want to pull away, felt the warm comfort coming from his twin, and relaxed slowly against his side. Another nod- even if he didn’t still feel okay, even though he still struggled… He had Sora. He smiled tiredly.

     “I want to go, too. I-- should probably get out anyway, yeah?” Beside him, Sora gave a small laugh.

     “Definitely! Come on, get dressed.” Sora let go, hopping up and striding across to the door. “Come on~ It’ll be fun, I promise!” He passed through the doorway, and Roxas shrugged, opening the drawer on his nightstand and tucking his sketchbook away inside. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being _watched_ by unseen eyes.

      It didn’t take him long to change, though he grabbed his favorite hoodie to wear on his way down there. It made him feel safe, it was a ratty thing, he’d had for a while, and he’d stopped wearing it before, during-- during _that_ time. But now- now it was a comfortable, and Roxas wasn’t sure why he’d ever stopped wearing it at all.

    He exited his room to find that his brother had gone on ahead- well, no, he realized that before leaving, because he’d felt Sora’s presence go down the hall way.  Roxas followed, shoving his hands into his pockets- but he faltered as he felt something… odd. What _was_ that? The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the distinct feeling of being watched settled in his stomach- it was unnerving. He’d only _imagined_ the feeling of eyes on him lately, but this… this was real.

     Turning opposite the way he’d begun to head, blue eyes scanned the hall. There was someone new there, someone he’d never felt before… but he saw no one. He _felt_ it, but he _saw_ no one. And maybe that was worse. He felt his chest tighten as he quickly twisted and rushed down the hall, taking the stairs two at a time on his way down. He didn’t stop when he reached the bottom, nor in the hall following that- it was only when Roxas reached the foyer that he slowed, because Sora stood there waiting with a serious look upon his visage.

     “Did you feel it too?” Sora’s voice was soft- he didn’t want to scare Roxas, but he knew something was wrong.

     Roxas nodded, quickly grasping his twin’s hand. Sora felt just as on edge as Roxas did, but at least they had one another. “Maybe we should.. .say something,” the younger suggested going to their parents- if someone was in the house, someone unknown… that could be bad. There had been attempts on their father and mother’s lives before… Sora nodded in agreement, and before they went off with Riku to the shore, they sought out their parents.   
  
    Anthony and Reiko Hart were the current Duke and Duchess in charge of Daybreak Town.  As such, they were responsible for overseeing the comings and goings and everyday happenings that went on within their city walls. This, of course, meant that they were always, always busy. But no matter how busy they were, at least one parent was always home and available for their children, no matter what they were doing. Especially after Roxas’ unfortunate incident, they had made it their absolute priority to make sure that someone was home at all times in case they were needed.   
  
     Most of the time it was Rei, being the Duchess, she was less likely to be called away on business and honestly preferred being within reach of her children. Between her and Anthony, she was more likely to show up just as trouble started anyway, despite having no sign of any kind of Gift. Rei just called it Mother’s Intuition, Sora was practically convinced she was a Guide and just _really_ good at hiding it.

     Whatever the case, Rei was home when her boys went looking for her. Their father- as it turned out- was out for the day tending to something or another. Which left Rei to be found by the twins, speaking with someone new- Roxas faltered, immediately suspicious of the stranger while Sora discreetly tried to feel if the man’s intentions were worth worrying over.

     Golden eyes turned to them upon their entrance, Roxas- aware of the feeling of another Sentinel- stood a little taller, making sure his own strength couldn’t be overlooked. He wasn’t about to let some stranger think little of him or his twin in their own damn home. But before anything else could be said or done, their mother came around from behind the desk, silver eyes focused on her boys.

      “Oh you’re just in time,” while her role in society placed her in a difficult position in the public eye, behind closed doors, Rei was a mischievous woman, always with a hint of trouble about her. Their father said Roxas inherited that trait from her, whereas Sora was blessed with her intuition. Both boys thought that was hilarious but neither said that- their dad meant well, after all, but he was too busy to notice. “This is Saix, he’s one of the new staff your father’s hired.” Though her words were carefully chosen, Roxas could hear the annoyance hidden beneath- and Sora _felt_ it. Mom didn’t approve of a new hire without her consent.

      “Nice to meet you,” Sora flashed a megawatt smile, always brilliant and friendly. Roxas gripped his brother’s hand tighter, blue eyes locked with the gold belonging to Saix. Sentinel, yes, but something wasn’t _quite_ right. He couldn’t place it. He just kept staring- and the stranger stared back.

     “A pleasure,” the other Sentinel hadn’t broken eye contact with Roxas- Sora didn’t like that, huffing through his nose.

      “We’re going out for a bit, mom,” Sora turned his attention to their mother, who nodded and ushered her boys to the door of the study, politely telling Saix she would be just a moment. Her sons were adults, yes, but _young_ adults. She could still _mom_ them. Gently shutting the door behind her, Rei dropped the facade.

     “Be careful, you two. Your father didn’t mention anything of new hires, and I have some… suspicions. I want you boys to watch out for each other; something isn’t right.”

      “We thought so too,” Sora began.

      “It was upstairs, there was something off- it felt like a person-”

     “Someone we didn’t know, but there was _definitely_ someone there-”

     “So we wanted to tell you-”

     “Before we left for the day-”

     “We worried,” they finished in unison.

      Rei laughed a little, reaching out with either hand to ruffle brown and blond hair at the same time. All things considered, she was so proud of them. It had been difficult- neither her nor Anthony was blessed with the Gift, leaving them able to only do so much after what Roxas went through… But Sora never left his brother to wallow, and Rei couldn’t have been prouder. They relied on each other- and it made her happy to know they had could.

     “I can always count on you,” Rei’s smile was fond, her gaze soft as she rested a hand on either son’s shoulder. “Watch out for each other, alright? And if you see or feel anything strange, make note of it. I don’t want anything happening to either of you.” She put one hand to Roxas’s cheek, the other moving to ruffle Sora’s hair once more before she hugged them both. They weren’t children anymore, she knew, but they were still _her babies_. Releasing them, she stepped back.

      Both knew that they would be watched, regardless of their mother’s obligations around the house. She had her own loyal followers, one kept to the shadows, hidden where you wouldn’t expect- Roxas and Sora knew of it, either aware of the feeling of someone protective nearby. No matter who it was their mother sent,  they knew they were watched over, safer for it, probably. Rei was resourceful- she had a way with people that Anthony didn’t- and because of her skill with others, she found herself with quite the following. A follow whose loyalties extended to her precious twins.

      “If you start feeling like something is wrong, I want you two to hurry back, alright?”

       “We will.”

      “Love you.”

       Rei watched as her sons- Roxas still with an iron vice grip on Sora’s hand- headed into the foyer. She didn’t move until she heard the heavy front door close behind them… and then she went back into the study to deal with this _new hire_ she knew nothing about.

    Riku waited outside for them- looking up when he felt the two come down the stairs. It didn’t even take a minute- before they reached the bottom, he was there halfway, taking Sora’s free hand in his own.

    “What is it?”

      “Oh just- we felt someone weird upstairs, we wanted to tell mom.” Sora shrugged, smiling at Riku. Beside him, Roxas rolled his eyes, letting go of Sora’s hand. He wouldn’t use the term _jealous_ to describe how he felt- after all, Sora seemed… fairly oblivious to Riku’s feelings (weird, all things considered- he was a Guide, after all), and Riku didn’t seem too keen on saying anything since Sora hadn’t.

      Truthfully, it was that Sora worried he was projecting his own feelings onto Riku, and Riku worried Sora knew how he felt and didn’t want to hurt him by turning him down.

      Roxas snorted at the idea. They were cute, really, and Sora was always very conscious of including his twin on their outings- which Roxas appreciated- but sometimes… Sora grabbed Roxas’s hand again, grinning. “I didn’t say you could let go, Rox,” he teased, tugging the blond along.

     “How’re you doing, Roxas?” Riku asked over Sora’s head. Roxas shrugged one shoulder in response.

      “I’m… breathing.”

      “Breathing is good.”

      Sora hummed between them, tugging both brother and friend along as he excitedly began to head to the tram to take them to the beach. “I’m so glad we’re finally going to the beach!” He chirped, a bounce in his step.

     Once they were situated, Roxas shifted to look out the window, ignoring Sora and Riku’s conversation- it seemed mundane, Riku spoke of their friend Kairi- she’d gone away for something or another Roxas wasn’t sure of, and was supposed to be coming back soon. Sora seemed positively thrilled with the news, brightening up even _more_. As the tram moved along its path from their lavish estate towards the beach, Roxas watched as buildings passed, and when the tram stopped to take on more passengers, his attention was caught by a strange duo who boarded.

     It wasn’t like he _knew_ everyone in Daybreak Town- that would be ridiculous to even insinuate- but something about these two… Well, it struck him as odd. He scooted closer to his twin, trying to be discreet in his staring. The taller of the two carried a strange instrument Roxas wasn’t familiar with, the man’s dirty blond hair shaved on either side, braids lining the border of shaved and not shaved, following down into his mullet. He spoke animatedly, his eyes a deep green as he motioned with his hands. The fellow beside him had hair almost bordering on blue with its shade- covering half his face and leaving one lone steel blue eye to take in their surroundings.

     That lone eye caught Roxas’s gaze, and immediately he turned away, grabbing Sora’s hand. He felt uneasy all of the sudden, a knot in his chest. Something was… off, even if he couldn’t quite place his finger on it.

      “Roxy?” Sora inquired, breaking in his conversation to look at his twin. Roxas didn’t respond, but Sora could tell something was making him uncomfortable- their bond was a special one, after all, and being twins with the Gift made them all the stronger. Even with the strain there had been between and the slow recovery afterwards, they still had a tough bond. The brunet squeezed his brother’s hand- Roxas was staring at his feet.

     Sora could recall a time when Roxas wouldn’t back down from any challenge- it honestly broke his heart to see his brother so changed. His attention turned to Riku, brows knit together in concern. Riku- without prompting- looked around and spotted the duo who were definitely watching him and the twins. Well, most likely the twins. He glared at the strangers until they turned away from the three of them- and the next stop, Riku dragged the twins off the tram.

      It wasn’t a far walk to the beach, but Sora didn’t let go of Roxas’s hand the entire way. Roxas glanced back more than once, anxiously checking over his shoulder. Each time he did, however, he felt Sora’s presence, soothing and comforting him. _You’re fine_ , Roxas felt Sora assure him across their bond. _No one is following us_. Bonds were always interesting things when it came to those with the Gift. Sentinels bonded to Guides- most matches being of convenience, or even of choice. The Bonded Pair would rely upon one another- a Guide could pull their Sentinel from a Zone, and a Sentinel could pull their Guide from a Swoon. Both sides were affected by different things- Sentinels struggled with physical overstimulation whereas Guides struggled with over exposure to emotions. A Bond guaranteed someone to help one out- in theory. It wasn’t always the case, as sometimes, bonds occured out of choice to not very good people. It was one such bond Roxas had been in, and it nearly killed him.

     But the twins’ Bond was different. There were few twins like them in the world- on opposite sides of the Gift. If it hadn’t been for their Bond, and for Sora’s quick thinking, he likely _would_ have lost Roxas, and the thought of that still weighed heavy in his heart. He didn’t tell Roxas that, working hard to keep it hidden, but it only worked to some extent. But Sora put Roxas first, when it came to comfort, and Roxas knew it- felt guilty for it, which, of course, his twin would try to soothe.

     Their relationship was certainly a complex one.

      The three of them reached the sandy shore, and Riku left them to fetch towels and lay them out on the sand. Sora turned his attention to Roxas, smiling at him.

      “You’re okay, Roxy, I promise. Look, everyone else is pretty far from us, okay?” Besides, Sora wouldn’t let anyone get too close to his obviously spooked twin. Roxas just offered a weak smile- the disingenuous kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes, offered for the comfort of the viewer, and not because the person who gave it was actually happy.

     The kind Sora saw right through.

     “Roxas, look at me,” the brunet took his brother by the shoulders, grip warm and reassuring. “Even if you don’t feel okay right now, I’m here for you, and I’ll _always_ be here for you, okay? No matter what, you’ve got me. No one is going to separate us.”

      As much as the blond didn’t want to admit it, he found comfort in his twin’s reassurances- even if he wasn’t so confident in what was being said, he appreciated the effort, and he felt the warmth radiating from his brother. Roxas pulled from Sora’s grasp- only to bury his face in the other’s shoulder for a moment before he withdrew.

      “I know you mean well, Sora, but I just… I’m just--”

      “Still recovering,” Sora supplied, so gentle. Roxas had to commend him- their parents treated him as though he would break at any moment, and while Sora _worried_ , he never changed his behavior towards his brother. Sora was always just as warm and welcoming towards his twin as he’d always been. The blond nodded at his twin’s words, the small smile that came to his face genuinely relieved. Sora understood.

      Riku returned, towels draped over his shoulders, food in his hands. “I got us something to eat.” Sora turned and moved over to take the food from the Sentinel, freeing Riku’s hands so he could lay down the towels. Roxas sat upon one, crossing his legs. Sora handed him one of disposable food trays- a hot dog positively smothered sitting inside. Roxas rolled his eyes- but he knew if he didn’t eat, there would be protests and scolding glances. May as well humor Sora.

                                                                                                                                    ***

     The rest of their afternoon was spent at the beach- at some point, Sora and Riku went out into the water, splashing and playing like children. Roxas had watched them, and when invited in, declined. Which Riku was having _none_ of, especially after the way Sora deflated. So Riku marched up across the sand, picked Roxas up…

      And carried him right to the water, dropping him in.

      After that, the three of them enjoyed themselves, goofing off and spending their whole day there. It was near sunset when they finally called it quits- the water had cooled off considerably. More towels were acquired, each of them wrapping themselves in one. Then, they laid out on the previous ones, watching as the sky faded from the dusk to dark. It was-- rather enjoyable, all three giving off their own feelings of contentment.

      Roxas realized it was just what he needed.

      He grasped one of Sora’s hands, as Riku grasped the other. They laid there, watching as the stars began to show themselves in the night sky. After a while, Roxas sat up.

      “We should head back. Mom will worry.”   
      “I’ll make sure you two get there safely,” Riku’s tone was all tease, and Roxas scoffed, rolling his eyes.

       “You’re not the only Sentinel among us, you know.”

        “Oh, I know. I stand by what I said.” Riku was sitting up too, wearing that infuriating smirk. Roxas made a rude gesture- Sora sat up quickly between them.

         “Don’t start, you two,” he held up his index finger on either hand, looking first to Riku, then to Roxas. “Besides, Riku, you’re supposed to stay over tonight, so you’re going back with us _anyway_.”

          “I know,” Riku shrugged innocently. “I just wanted to get Roxas riled up.”

          “Well, you did a damn good job, jackass.”

           “Roxas!”

          “It’s fine, Sora, it’s fun.”

          Riku stood first, offering Sora his hand and pulling him to his feet, then offering Roxas the same. The blond, however, just glared for minute before rolling his eyes once more and taking the offer. Dried off, the three of them headed for the tram- it should have still been running.

         Should have been.

         It wasn’t.

         In fact, it was knocked over on its side, the lights out, half the windows shattered. Roxas felt as though a rock dropped into his stomach, panic washing over him and clutching tightly in his chest- Riku had stepped in front of the twins, inspecting the damage on high alert. Sora grabbed Roxas’s hand, trying to quell the knot of panic within his twin- easier said than done when worry gnawed at his own insides.

       “We need to go.” Riku’s voice left no room for argument, one hand reaching back and grabbing Sora by the wrist. “Now.”

       “What is it?”

       “We just need to go.” Riku started walking at a brisk pace, dragging the twins along behind him. He stayed on high alert, those lovely eyes darting this way and that, keeping an eye out for potential trouble. One thing that could be said for Riku- he took his family’s job seriously. He would absolutely lay down his life for the twins in a heartbeat. Roxas hated the thought of that- Riku was so fucking important to Sora, and even- though he was loathe to admit- to himself. The thought of losing him, of losing him to _protecting_ them… It made his stomach churn.

      The rush home seemed to be-- unnaturally calm. Nothing jumped at them, no one followed.

      “Maybe it was a freak accident?” Sora suggested, tone hopeful. But he didn’t believe that, and neither did Riku, nor Roxas.

       “Someone was trying to scare us,” Roxas’s voice was soft, blues glancing back over his shoulder. He felt nothing- and he knew it was worse for Sora, whose hand trembled in his grip. Sora felt nothing to a different level- not a single person could be felt, even behind their closed doors, the windows dark everywhere they passed.

       It wasn’t _that_ late.

      And that’s when it hit Roxas- the feeling of eyes upon him, watching his every movement- _familiar, it was so familiar, judging, being studied, every reaction being cataloged, noted_ \--

    “Roxas!” Sora’s voice broke through his thoughts-- Roxas blinked blues rapidly, brows furrowing-- he was looking up at the sky, Riku and Sora hovering over him. Had he fallen? He didn’t remember it. Sora had the back of his hand pressed beneath his own nose, which made Roxas realized he tasted blood- it ran from his nose too. Struggling, the blond tried to sit up- he felt weak suddenly. Riku looked to Sora, who nodded, and the silver haired Sentinel slid one arm beneath Roxas’s legs, the other at his back as he scooped the blond up.

      “We have to keep moving. Sora, stay close,” Riku instructed, using his _I-won’t-be-told-no_ voice. Sora nodded, and- Roxas in Riku’s arms- they continued their hurried journey home. Roxas was so sure someone was following them now, but he didn’t have the strength to lift his head from Riku’s shoulder, a pounding in his skull making it difficult to even want to try.

      “Almost-” Sora reassured his twin, whose eyes were closed- Roxas felt the movement of running up stairs, nodded a little at the brunet’s words. The doors of their home opened, the noise familiar and comforting. The three passed through, making it into safety- though it felt like it was no easy feat.

      Riku carried Roxas up to his room-- but he didn’t even get to lay Roxas down before the blond was shaking his head.

     “N-No,” the word almost seemed choked out by the panic in his chest still.

       “It’s okay,” Riku attempted to reassure him, but only got another head shake. “...You wanna stay with me and Sora?” The response a nod. Riku looked over to Sora, who smiled and grabbed Roxas’s favorite blanket.

        “Come on, we can sleep in the living room up here.” Sora carried the blanket to the large room, while Riku carried Roxas. The upstairs living room was not near as large as the one downstairs- which was saying something, as it was already larger than most. Unsurprising, all things considered, given the family’s status. The elder Sentinel set the younger gently upon the red couch, stepping back.

       “I’ll go grab more bedding,” Riku began to say, but Sora shook his head.

       “We can send for it.” Truthfully, he didn’t want Riku to leave them- Roxas was clearly unwell, curling under his blanket and burying his face in a cushion as he tried to calm down. Sora turned those pretty sapphires up to Riku, who gave in under that gaze.

       “Alright, alright. How do we do that?”

       Sora pointed to a rope along the wall. “Pull it. Someone will come ask what we need.” Riku nodded, following the instructions given- somewhere within the building, a bell rang. Meanwhile, Sora sat beside Roxas, gently brushing blond from his face with a tender smile. “You’re safe, Roxy.” He wanted to ask what had happened- one moment, Roxas was holding his hand like a lifeline, the next he’d let go and fallen backwards. But he could _feel_ how his twin couldn’t even seem to make sense of it himself, how Roxas was panicking at his utter loss of control. So Sora waited, gently petting his twin’s hair and attempting reassurance. Curious as he was, Roxas’s wellbeing was more important to him.

      The door to the room opened, one of the house workers come to see what they needed.

      “Bedding,” Riku told her with a nod. “Just- a lot of pillows and blankets, and maybe some dinner? Snacks?” With a nod, she left to retrieve the things he requested. After everything was brought to them, Riku put the food on the table, laying out the blankets and pillows-- he helped Roxas move onto the floor, and the three of them curled up there. It provided the blond with another sense of safety- one he didn’t realize he needed. One that allowed him to fall asleep with far less trouble he’d experienced prior- Roxas was asleep in moments. Riku glanced over blond hair to Sora, draping his arm over Roxas’s middle to reach the brunet. Smiling, Sora took his hand.

     “Thanks, Riku,” Sora spoke softly, so as to not wake his sleeping twin. The response was a one shouldered shrug.

     “Don’t thank me. He’s my friend too, even if we give each other a hard time. Gave us a scare though, didn’t he?”

     “...I don’t know what happened. One minute he was holding onto me, the next minute he was on the ground-- I thought he was really hurt- I mean-- he may still be, right? Should he even be sleeping?” Sora chewed his lower lip anxiously.

      “Sora, he’s fine, look. He’s breathing, peacefully asleep. You’d be able to feel it if he wasn’t, right?” Sometimes, Riku felt like he needed to remind the Guide- especially because when it came to Roxas and his well being, Sora sometimes got… caught up in his own head before anything else. It was cute, and Riku liked that about him- Sora cared _so_ much about others, and a few people took precedence over that even. He had a big heart. Riku respected that.

      “I-- yeah… Yeah, you’re right, it just… scared me.”

      With a hum, the Sentinel squeezed his hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of it absently. “It’s okay to be scared, Sora. He’s okay, though. We’re all okay.” But it had been weird, hadn’t it? It was something worth looking into- but not right at that moment. “Sora?” Riku sat up a little, noticing then that Sora’s eyes were closed- one opening at the call of his name, but the elder shook his head. “Never mind. Get some sleep.” It would be a bit before sleep claimed Riku- he thought for the best, because he wanted to watch over the twins.

     Eventually, however, sleep claimed him too.

                                                                                                                           ***

  



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